Renowned for its gleaming luster and denseness, gold is known as the softest and most pliable natural metal. In its purest form, gold is bright yellow in color, but is often mixed with other metals, such as palladium, to form a more durable alloy that's more resistant to everyday wear and tear. Additionally, these alloys help color gold and produce shades of white, yellow, and rose.
Most white gold rings are finished with a plating of rhodium, which is a hard, very bright metal from the platinum family that gives a brilliant mirror finish. As this is a thin coating it does wear over time.
YELLOW GOLD
Natural gold and color-saturated alloys are what give yellow gold jewelry its rich shine. The alloys most commonly used, are copper with a red hue, and silver featuring a green hue. An expert mixture of copper, silver and pure gold gives this precious metal its signature warmth.
ROSE GOLD
A rose gold color is achieved by raising the copper ratio when combining the gold with other alloys. For example, 18kt rose gold is 75% fine gold, but the other 25% of alloys has a greater copper content than yellow or white gold. This color of gold has become popular because it flatters pale skin and certain colors of gemstones, especially the newly popular pink diamonds. The higher copper content makes the alloy more durable than its yellow or white alternatives.
WHITE GOLD
A silvery white character is what makes white gold jewelry so appealing. In order to make the gold white, it is combined with metal alloys that are white in nature and plated with an extremely hard element called rhodium. Although strong, rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is a simple process that can be done to restore whiteness to your jewelry.
PLATINUM
Platinum is rarer than gold. Platinum is the strongest precious metal, highly durable, hypoallergenic and its density makes for a secure setting for your diamonds or gemstones. It is also naturally white metal that highlights diamonds beautifully. It is highly suited for your partner that works with hands and has an active lifestyle.
PALLADIUM
A comparatively new metal to jewelry, Palladium is naturally white and a member of the platinum family. Its resistance to wear is similar to that of platinum.
It doesn't require plating or other metals for protection - it will naturally stay white without regular maintenance and care. While it's in the same group as platinum and looks very similar, it's much lighter than its sister metal.